Ward 5 Councilmember Rarchar Tortorello will face former Councilmember and Pike Off OTA President Michael Nash in a runoff following Tuesday’s election results.
Tortorello received 40.02% percent of votes cast and Nash received 34.49%, according to unofficial online results from the Oklahoma State Election Board. The third candidate, small business owner Cindi Tuccillo, received 25.50%.
If reelected, Tortorello aims to continue fighting against the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority’s ACCESS Oklahoma plan, protect Ward 5’s way of life and support public safety funding during his second term.
Nash wants to fight ACCESS from a city level, ensure the security of Norman’s water supply and protect Ward 5’s rural status if he wins a second term.
The winner of the runoff will serve until 2025.
Tortorello and Ward 3 Councilmember Kelly Lynn, along with Norman Mayor Larry Heikkila, are the three self-proclaimed “conservatives” on city council. However, Lynn losing his seat and Tortorello entering a runoff election, Heikkila may stand as the only “conservative” in city council.
At a city council meeting following his state of the city address, which many council members claimed was not publicized outside of the trio, that the city needs more “fiscally conservative, pro-growth, pro-business, pro-citizen voices.
